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Individual and group therapeutic services in postpartum and women's health counselling.
Clinical Supervision for Social Workers in Ontario.
Welcome
Erin Brown, MSW, RSW
COUNSELLING & SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION
Individual counselling and Social Work Supervision appointments are offered in person, virtually, or on the phone. Group offerings in-person in Peterborough, ON.
I offer individual counselling services in the area of postpartum mental health to new and new again Moms and primary caregivers, during baby’s first 24 months. I bring an informed, non-judgmental approach to helping individuals increase postpartum mental health awareness and symptom management skills, reduce overwhelming stress and re/connect with their own inherit values and instincts as a parent and a person. I serve the Peterborough area, and across Ontario, through in-person, virtual and phone appointments.
A safe space that offers strategies that work.
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Learn more about our service offerings
About the practice
Helpful Postpartum Mental Health Information & Strategies
Evidence-based practices that can fit into a demanding, unpredictable daily life to better manage anxiety, anger, mood, and trauma-related symptoms, in the moment.
Non-Judgmental Approach
A safe, non-judgmental space to talk about and process expected and unexpected changes/events that having a baby and becoming a parent has brought.
Recognizing and Side-Stepping Spiraling Thinking
Cognitive behavioural approaches to examining negative/perfectionist thinking patterns and develop new strategies for promoting helpful thinking styles and self-care.
In-the-Moment Practices to Manage Intrusive Thoughts
Knowledge and mindfulness/grounding techniques to better manage recurrent, unwanted intrusive or obsessive thoughts and reduce distress.
Parenting and Living with Awareness
Examine experiences within your own family of origin to disentangle from old, toxic patterns and curate healthier values and practices in parenting, relationships, and self-care.
Improving Bonding, Boundaries & Relationships
Information and strategies to improve attachment and bonding with baby that supports parental mental health and infant development. Adult attachment and healthy intimacy approaches to foster re/connection between partners. Assertive approaches to communicating with family members and friends, and setting healthy boundaries.
Redefining Motherhood
Recognition of societal pressures on Mothers, women and caregivers to meet unrealistic expectations and the impact on mental health. This is an opportunity to reflect on your journey of becoming a parent and your changing identity, priorities, and values.
Erin brings 20 years of social work practice, along with post-graduate studies in Supervision.
social work supervision
Intuitive Tarot Reading for Self-Reflection and Self-Care
Canadian Society for Spirituality and Social Work Conference
June 21-24, 2023
GROUPS & EVENTS
Individual appointments are offered in-person, virtually or by phone.
Individual Counselling
SERVICES
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CONTACT ERIN
CONTACT ERIN
I provide a safe, therapeutic environment for new (again) Moms and other primary caregivers to open up about their full range of experiences in the postpartum period. Together we develop new strategies that are tailored to life with a baby and build on your previous coping skills. I focus strongly on micro self-regulation and stress reduction practices to manage postpartum mental health symptoms while you may also be caring for your baby.
Being able to share openly and feel validated helps to reduce the sense of isolation and offers opportunities for addressing thoughts and feelings that may be difficult, recurrent, or scary. I believe that individuals and couples find their own unique way and rhythm as parents once overwhelming stress is reduced and appropriate, helpful support is available.
philosophy
A safe space that offers validation and strategies that work for new parents
I have been practicing as a Registered Masters-trained Social Worker for 19 years. My training and experience has led me to specialize in addressing adjustment challenges with a focus on postpartum, perimenopause and other times of major life changes (and accompanying hormonal changes!). Changes in women's bodies, lifestyles, roles and identities can (re)ignite difficulties with anxiety, mood, stress and self-esteem. While the old adage states: "It will get better in time" - I say: What about the meantime? I offer counselling for the "meantime" - the uncomfortable, unpredictable place between how/who you were and how/who you are becoming.
Meet Erin Brown
About
MSW, REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER
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ASSOCIATIONS
Please click "Request Appointment" to go to my online clinic platform. If you are an existing client, please sign in to request your next appointment. If you are a new client, please follow the same link and register to request your first appointment.
My office is located at the beautiful, accessible Be Well Centre, in downtown Peterborough. All in-person appointments are held here. Street parking is available.
459 George Street, North
Suite 210
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R6
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Yes. While I have worked in the area of women’s and family mental health for 20 years, I began my work in postpartum mental health in 2013 as a social worker at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. In my role at the Pediatric Outpatient (POP) Clinic, I partnered with the Peterborough Child and Family Centres to develop “Not What I Expected: Group for Women with Postpartum Anxiety and Depression Experiences” in an attempt to meet an identified gap in services. This group grew and changed over the 7 years that I facilitated it, and I’m happy to say that it continues to run to this day with new leadership! Alongside group work, I also supported parents individually who were experiencing a range of mental/emotional health issues arising during the postpartum period. It was here that I felt like I discovered my life’s work.
While I made the difficult decision to change jobs in 2020 due to the impact of covid on raising my own family, I felt strongly about finding a meaningful way to continue my work in helping new Moms and caregivers experiencing mental health difficulties and other overwhelming stressors. And so my private practice came into being with this commitment in mind.
I continue to increase my knowledge and skills in this area by staying up to date on best and emerging practices in postpartum mental health. However, my practice is strongly informed by the Moms and other parents I have met over the years, and continue to meet.
Individual Counselling appointments are $145 per session. Each session is 50 minutes. Appointments are available in-person, virtually or by phone.
Couples counselling is offered in-person for $185 per session. Please contact Erin to discuss your goals for couples counselling to determine good fit.
Each session is 50 minutes in length.
Private counselling services offered by Social Workers and Psychotherapists are not covered by OHIP. Many individual and group benefit plans offer coverage for counselling services. It’s a good idea to contact your benefit provider to find out how your plan works as some plans cover a certain amount per session and others cover a certain amount per year.
Yes. Babies are most welcome at any type of appointment.
